Description
Hearty cowboy pasta salad delivers southwestern charm with zesty ranch dressing and bold ranch-seasoned ground beef. Crisp vegetables and cheese crumbles mingle perfectly, creating a crowd-pleasing dish you’ll crave at summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein Ingredients:
- 1 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 pound lean ground beef, cooked and drained
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Pasta and Vegetable Ingredients:
- 1 (16 ounces / 454 grams) box bow tie pasta
- 1 (15 ounces / 425 grams) can corn, drained
- 1 (15 ounces / 425 grams) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
- 1/2 cup scallions, chopped
Sauce and Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1 ounce packet taco seasoning
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Boil bow tie pasta in salted water until al dente, then rinse with cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking.
- Brown ground beef in a skillet, carefully draining excess grease, and mix thoroughly with taco seasoning for rich, zesty flavor.
- Crisp bacon in a separate pan until golden and crunchy, then crumble into bite-sized pieces.
- Dice fresh cherry tomatoes and thinly slice scallions to add vibrant color and sharp, fresh notes to the salad.
- Combine cooled pasta, seasoned beef, crumbled bacon, corn kernels, black beans, tomatoes, and scallions in a generously sized mixing bowl.
- Whisk mayonnaise, barbecue sauce, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth, creating a tangy, creamy dressing.
- Gently fold shredded cheddar cheese into the pasta mixture, ensuring even distribution.
- Drizzle prepared dressing over the salad and toss delicately to coat all ingredients uniformly.
- Refrigerate the cowboy pasta salad for minimum 60 minutes, allowing flavors to meld and intensify before serving chilled.
Notes
- Rinse cooked pasta with cold water and toss with a tiny bit of olive oil to keep the noodles separated and prevent sticking.
- Let the salad marinate longer than one hour, ideally overnight, for deeper, more robust taste profiles.
- Swap ground beef with rotisserie chicken, pulled pork, or plant-based crumbles for diverse dietary preferences.
- Add chopped bell peppers or cucumber just before serving to maintain crisp texture and prevent soggy vegetables.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 663
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 1040 mg
- Fat: 42 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 81 mg